Realm Lord
Chapter 139: Meeting at the Wings

Chapter 139: Meeting at the Wings

Arthur finished up his research session at the library feeling both enlightened and somewhat disillusioned by what he had discovered. The afternoon sun was streaming through the tall windows as he gathered his notes and made his way to the checkout counter, where he decided to borrow a comprehensive book on realm languages—one of the few resources that might actually prove useful. The thick volume felt heavy in his hands, promising hours of challenging study ahead.

After completing the checkout process, Arthur stepped out into the bustling city streets and made his way to a small restaurant he had spotted earlier. The casual dining establishment offered exactly the kind of simple, satisfying meal he craved after hours of intensive reading. He ordered a modest meal and ate quietly while reviewing his mental notes from the day’s research, processing the sobering information he had uncovered about District 3 and the true state of humanity’s struggle against the void creatures.

The walk back to his hotel was pleasant enough, giving him time to clear his head and prepare mentally for the important meeting that awaited him tomorrow. Once back in his room, Arthur settled into a comfortable routine of basic tasks—organizing his few possessions, taking care of personal hygiene, and catching up on current events through the television news broadcasts. The evening passed quietly, and he found himself drifting off to sleep earlier than expected, his body still recovering from the intense experiences of recent weeks.

When morning arrived, Arthur was quick to rise and begin his daily preparations. Brush his teeth, a simple breakfast, and then his essential training regimen.

He pushed himself through the familiar exercises that Aziel had taught him, feeling his muscles respond with increasing strength and coordination. The sword practice that concluded his workout felt especially smooth, his blade moving through the air with precision and confidence that spoke to his growing mastery of the weapon.

As Arthur prepared to leave for his meeting, he paused to consider his appearance. The simple tracksuit that the school had provided him with was comfortable and practical for training, but he seriously doubted it would be appropriate for a formal meeting with representatives of one of the biggest guilds. The Pure Wings commanded respect and commanded it absolutely—showing up dressed like he was heading to the gym would send entirely the wrong message about his professionalism and seriousness.

With this concern in mind, Arthur made his way to a clothing store he had noticed during his wanderings around the city. The shop was modest but well-stocked, offering a reasonable selection of business casual attire at prices that wouldn’t completely exhaust his limited funds. After some deliberation and assistance from a helpful sales associate, he managed to outfit himself with a crisp button-down shirt, dark slacks, and a simple but well-tailored jacket that made him look significantly more professional and mature.

The transformation was remarkable. Looking at himself in the store’s mirror, Arthur barely recognized the young man staring back at him. Gone was the desperate survivor who had emerged from the second realm just days ago. In his place stood someone who looked capable, confident, and ready.

After completing his shopping and making sure his appearance was as polished as possible, Arthur checked the time and realized it was finally approaching the hour for his crucial meeting. He pulled out his phone and quickly looked up the address of the Pure Wings guild building, plotting the most efficient route through the city streets. Fortunately, the building was located within the central business district, meaning he wouldn’t have to travel far from his current location.

The walk through the city was both nerve-wracking and energizing.

Before he knew it, Arthur found himself standing on the sidewalk in front of what could only be described as an architectural marvel. The Pure Wings guild building rose before him like a monument to power and success—a gleaming fifty-floor skyscraper that dominated the surrounding cityscape. The structure was impressive enough on its own merits, but what truly captured Arthur’s attention were the giant holographic wings that seemed to be painted directly onto the glass facade of the building’s front face.

The guild’s logo was instantly recognizable: two pristine white wings captured in mid-flight, their feathers rendered in stunning detail through advanced holographic technology. The wings seemed to move subtly in the light, creating an almost hypnotic effect. It was a display of wealth and influence that left no doubt about the Pure Wings’ position in the hierarchy of chosen organizations.

Arthur stood in front of the imposing entrance doors for several long minutes, feeling suddenly hesitant about the meeting that lay ahead. The magnitude of the building and everything it represented was somewhat overwhelming.

Suddenly, something struck the back of his head with considerable force, sending his startled gaze downward toward his feet. The impact was unexpected and hard enough to be genuinely painful, immediately triggering his combat instincts and flooding his system with adrenaline. Arthur whipped around aggressively to confront whoever had dared to attack him, his muscles tensing as he prepared for a potential fight.

All he saw, however, was a familiar face wearing an expression of pure mischief and amusement. The distinctive stark blue hair was unmistakable, even when attached to someone dressed far more formally than Arthur had ever seen him before.

"Aziel?" Arthur asked, his voice carrying a mixture of relief and exasperation.

Aziel’s smile widened as he clearly found great amusement in his successful prank and Arthur’s startled reaction. "What’s up!" he called out cheerfully, completely unbothered by the fact that he had just physically assaulted his friend in broad daylight on a busy city street.

Arthur straightened up and took a moment to really look at his companion, taking in the dramatic change in Aziel’s appearance. "You’re... dressed well?" he said, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice. It was true—Aziel was wearing a sharp suit that fit him perfectly, his usually wild blue hair styled in a way that looked both professional and stylish. The transformation was almost as dramatic as Arthur’s own change in appearance.

Aziel’s eyebrows scrunched together in mock offense, his expression shifting to one of exaggerated indignation. "Why do you look so surprised? I can dress nice when I want to!" he protested, though his tone suggested he was more amused than actually offended by Arthur’s reaction.

Arthur couldn’t help but giggle at his friend’s defensive response. The idea of Aziel caring about formal attire was genuinely amusing, given how little attention he usually paid to his appearance. "Yeah... I suppose so," Arthur conceded with a grin. "Let’s head inside."

Aziel nodded enthusiastically and gave Arthur a firm slap on the back that nearly sent him stumbling forward. Together, they made their way toward the gleaming entrance of the Pure Wings building, their footsteps echoing slightly off the polished surfaces surrounding them. The lobby they entered was as impressive as the exterior had promised—all marble floors, soaring ceilings, and tasteful displays of the guild’s achievements and accolades.

They approached the elegant reception desk with confidence, expecting the check-in process to be a simple formality before they were escorted to their meeting room. This was what they wished would happen, but instead they found themselves stuck at the front desk, engaged in an increasingly frustrating argument with the receptionist about whether their meeting actually existed.

"Listen, lady," Arthur said, trying to keep his voice level and professional despite his growing irritation. "Lara Downing is expecting us. We have a meeting scheduled for today."

The receptionist, a middle-aged woman with perfectly styled hair and an expression of professional skepticism, sighed deeply and shook her head as she continued staring at the computer screen in front of her. "I don’t see anything about a meeting in today’s schedule, sir. I’m sorry, but there’s nothing here under either of your names."

Arthur could feel Aziel’s frustration beginning to reach dangerous levels beside him. The air around his friend seemed to crackle with barely contained electrical energy, and Arthur caught glimpses of lightning flickering through the whites of Aziel’s eyes—a sure sign that his temper was about to boil over completely.

"Now you listen here—" Aziel began, his voice taking on a threatening tone that promised immediate violence.

"Excuse me," interrupted a voice so delicate and quiet that it should have been completely lost in the busy lobby’s ambient noise. And yet, somehow, those two simple words pierced through every other sound in the room, demanding and receiving the immediate attention of everyone within earshot. The voice carried an authority that was impossible to ignore, despite its soft volume.

Aziel and Arthur found their words dying on their lips as they slowly turned their heads toward the source of that compelling voice. When they finally located the speaker, their jaws dropped open in shock and their bodies began to break out in nervous sweat almost immediately.

"A-ah, Ms. Pellion, what are you doing here?" the receptionist asked, her voice shaking with what could only be described as genuine fear and reverence combined.

The woman who had spoken was elegant and composed, carrying herself with the kind of natural authority that couldn’t be learned or faked. Her presence seemed to fill the entire lobby despite her relatively small stature, and both Arthur and Aziel found themselves instinctively straightening their posture in response to her mere presence.

"Now, you two boys wouldn’t happen to be Arthur and Aziel, would you?" she asked in that same impossibly compelling voice, completely ignoring the receptionist’s stammered question as if the other woman didn’t exist.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.